Shot
by conspiracy bug girl
Summary: The gun was turned on him. They both froze, eyeing the gun with fear...The trigger was pulled. Angsty piece. Has gone wandering off the beaten track of 'Booth getting shot' territory and is now firmly in 'Booth getting shot AND kidnapped' territory.
1. TWO LITTLE PIECES OF METAL

**My latest piece of angst. I don't know what it is, but I adore writing angsty stories. And I hope you adore reading my angsty stories.**

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The fifteen seconds that it took were in slow motion. He'd yelled at her to get down. The gun was turned on him. They both froze, eyeing the gun with fear.

The trigger was pulled twice

She heard the shot ring out. The bullets travelled faster than the human eye could follow, but she could practically see them tear through the flesh of her partner's stomach. She watched as he dropped sluggishly to the floor, as though his body had suddenly become boneless.

She began to scream and ran at the man who had shot him.

"You bastard!" Brennan shrieked, grabbing him by the shirt and forcing him against the wall. She wanted to beat him within an inch of his life, but there was no time. She hit him once, twice, three times across the face. Blood began to flow freely from his nose, and she rejoiced in this. Using one hand, she forced him to drop the gun. Her other hand was used to choke him. He began to turn blue and fight for breath. "You bastard!" she yelled again, squeezing his larynx tighter.

"Please, don't kill me," he choked out. But he deserved it.

"Too late." Dropping him to the ground, Brennan spun to Booth. The sight before her stopped her breath.

He was sprawled on the floor, his own blood beginning to pool beneath him, creating a dark red puddle. His eyes were open, he face showing a decidedly dazed look.

"Seeley!" she was brought out of the paralysing fear for him after a moment of watching the horrific sight before her. She ran full tilt until she was dropping beside him, she clothes immediately becoming soaked in blood. "Oh god, Seeley. Don't do this to me. Don't you die on me!"

Ripping open his shirt, Brennan found that the blood was pouring out of a two large wounds on the right side of his stomach. The scientist in her infered that his stomach acids would slowly seep into his chest cavity, posioning him slowly and painfully from the inside. She was frozen for a moment, staring at the holes in his abdomen, ripping through his body, like a child would slash paper. His chest was marred by the disgusting crimson liquid and the skin was torn and gapping.

It took Brennan a moment to fully except that two little pieces of metal could destroy the life of a completely healthy man in seconds.

"Bones?" his voice was soft, weak. She was surprised to see that he was coherent. "What happened?"

"Shh, Booth. Relax. You're going to be fine." She removed her shirt and pressed it against the wound in his side. He groaned in pain.

"Was I ... was I shot?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Yes," she took his hand and touched the side of his face. "Why weren't you wearing a Kevlar vest?"

"I don't make a habit of wearing one unless completely necessary. Like if a situation is possibly dangerous. A trip to the lab isn't considered so," he whispered the end. It was as though his all energy reserves were being depleted. "Am I going to die?" She felt herself go numb with those words. She prayed to a god that she didn't believe in and had ignored most of her life. She prayed that he wouldn't die.

"No, you're going to be fine." She could hear sirens in the distance. Someone must have alerted 911 when the gun shots had been fired.

"Promise?"

"Yes. I promise," she said, tears welling in her eyes. Truth be told, she didn't know if he would last much longer. He was already deathly pale, and his breathing had become ragged. "Where's the freakin' paramedics?" she asked out loud.

Booth moved slightly and groaned. "Bones..."

"I know, Seeley," she stroked his hair, which was damp with sweat and blood. Minutes felt like hours as she sat with him, the shirt she held to the wound was soaked with blood. She watched as he grew steadily weaker, eyes glazing over with pain, and was unable to do anything to help. "You need medical attention, now."

Suddenly, he started to convulse, as the adrenaline started to wear off and the pain became more apparent.

"Seeley! Seeley! Stop!" She placed her hands on his torso, trying to stop his thrashing. "Stay with me, Seeley. You cannot die on me."

"It hurts, Temperance," he screamed, his body jerking from the pain.

"You have to stop!" Booth felt her hands try to pin him to the ground. "You'll only injure yourself more."

"It really hurts," he yelled, struggling against her. She felt tears start to fall freely as she watching him fighting desperately to get away.

"Lay still, Seeley. Moving will not help." Slowly, to her relief, he started to become motionless, as the shock wore off.

"Really hurts, Bones," he said again in a soft voice, shivering slightly.

"Tell me what hurts..."

"Everything," he whispered. "I'm so cold." Her heart broke. He wasn't going to last much longer.

"That's because you've lost a lot of blood. We're going to get you patched up, okay, Seeley? You are going to be alright. I promise," her voice was quiet. She hoped it would convince him. It didn't convince her.

"Okay." She could see the trust in his eyes. He believed her. He believed that she would save him.

Moments later he succumbed to the darkness and drifted off into unconsciousness. Sobbing, Brennan placed her arms around him, her hair becoming matted with his blood.

Minutes ... or maybe it was hours later ... she felt someone gently pulling her away.

"Shh, it's okay," said a voice she didn't recognise. "Come with me. It's going to be okay." Hands started to pull her away. Away from her partner and best friend.

"No! I can't leave him! Let me go!" she screamed, fighting against the paramedic. "He's hurt. I have to ... I have to be ... I can't leave him!"

"I understand, but..."

"NO! You don't. Let me go!" she fought desperately against the person, twisting out of their grip. She started towards to gurney Booth was being loaded on, until she was firmly grasped by someone.

"Bren! Sweetie, please!" Angela. "Calm down!"

"Ange?" she turned to see her best friend.

"I joust got here, Bren. Don't worry, the paramedics will look after him, I promise," Angela said, taking Brennan into her arms. Covered in blood, sobbing, the anthropologist hugged her back.

"I can't ... I can't, Ange," she whispered. "I can't go on if he doesn't make it."

"He'll pull through," she replied. "He wouldn't leave you."

_"I need 15 milligrams of morphine, stat." _

_"20 heart beats per minute!"_

_"Get some blood, now!"_

_"We've lost the pulse!"_

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**One shot? Or do you think should I continue?**


	2. TIMES FLIES WHEN HAVING FUN

**Hey peeps. I (finally) updated! Yay. What can I say, I like suspense. Anyway, hope this chapter is good. God knows I stared at it enough ...**

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Charging ... clear! 

_That's a pulse. We've got him._

_Stay with us, Seeley._

_We need to remove the bullets, now!_

_He's lost too much blood._

_He's flat lined again!_

_Bring him back, now!_

Time. It was a funny thing. Why was it that, when you were having a good times, time flies? And why, when something was boring or painful or destroying your nerves, time had to slow down, almost to snail pace? Everyone has moments like that. A moment that would usually take a seconds but seems to migrate into several minutes, or an hour.

It might be when a boyfriend or girlfriend you were dating for 3 years dumped you. The moment they said the four simple words "We can't be together" took forever, as if purposely trying to drag out the terrible moment and making it all the more worse, so you could feel your heart shatter.

Or it could be when you were younger, in detention at high school. You kept your eyes focused on the clock, waiting for it's face to show that you were free to go. But the hands seem to have stopped moving at all. You could hear the other students out in the halls, laughing and talking, but you were trapped by the time. It's a conspiracy. The hands of the clock were purposely trying to make you stay longer.

Or it could be when you were sitting in an uncomfortable hospital chair waiting to see if your partner would survive.

It seemed like the longest time of her life when the nurse had said, "We're not sure if he'll make it..."

Brennan had felt her knees go weak at those words. She hung into Angela, who had driven her to the hospital, for support. He couldn't die. He was the strongest person she'd ever met. He was force of nature, not to be reconded with. He was he lifeline.

"It's gunna be okay. He'll pull through," she'd whispered to the Anthropologist. Brennan recognized the words. They had been uttered so many times since Booth had been shot.

It had been 2 hours since that moment. He was still in surgery. No one had told her anything. Frustrated, annoyed and scared, Brennan got up and stalked over the reception desk. Angela jumped up and followed her, placing a restraining hand on her best friend's arm.

"What's going on?" she demanded. The receptionist smiled. Someone might have interpreted it as a serene smile. Brennan interpreted it as a patronizing smile.

"No news, sorry, sweetie, but if you take a seat I'll get back to you when I have word about what's happening." the women then returned to her Cosmo magazine. Brennan felt an unrestrained angry appear in her chest and she lashed out at the receptionist.

"Look, lady," she said, ripping the magazine from her hands. "I don't know if you're just a bitch or if you think the latest fashion tips are more important then doing your job, but I will reach over that desk and slap you if you don't find out what is going on right now," she demanded.

"I'm sorry," the women replied coolly, "but I can't do anything for you. If you don't go sit down now I will be forced to call security."

Brennan lost it.

"He's my partner! He's one of my best friends! He's the only family I've got," she screamed, grabbing the receptionist by the collar and pulling her close until their noses were touching. "He's hurt, possibly dying because of me, so if you don't find out if he will live I will..."

Her threats were cut off by a man grabbing her arm. "Excuse me, ma'am, come and sit down. Stop harassing the poor woman. I'm sure she's doing everything she can."

She spun to face the man.

"You. Are. An. Asshole. Okay?" she said, slowly. "What's your name?" She asked suddenly.

"Jared," he replied, confused.

"Jared, do you know what it's like? Have you ever been told to sit and wait patiently while your loved one is in danger? Do you have a heart?"

Jared grabbed her arms. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I'm in the process of waiting to find out if my brother will come out of surgery. They said there is a high chance of him not making it. So, yes, I do understand what you're going through."

At his words, Brennan felt as though _someone_ finally understood what she was going through. She collapsed in the strangers arms, sobbing into his chest. The man hugged her back, surprised.

"Easy, easy," he said. "You'll get through it."

"I'm not sure I will," she said in a whisper. She was so grateful for this kind stranger, who held her tightly. He was going through exactly what she was and he still found time to be understanding and comforting. She must have looked like a complete psychopath. Still covered in blood, tears streaming down her face. She had gone from abusing the receptionist, to called the man, Jared, as asshole, to holding onto him as tight as possible.

Composing herself, she pushed away from Jared. "Thank You." She looked up at him and found herself staring at a dark hair man with chocolate eyes. There was something familiar about him.

"Temperance Brennan," she said, extending her hand.

"Jared Booth," he replied, taking it. Brennan gasped. It was Booth's brother. She knew she recognized the name. How could she have not seen it? They looked exactly the same.

"You're Seeley's brother," she said, in shock.

"Yes, I am," he said with surprise, then realization dawned. "You must be Bones."

"That's me," she confirmed. Then she laughed softly. She'd just confirmed she was 'Bones.' And she hadn't even told Jared to call her something different. He was Booth's brother so he could call her that too.

But she was wished Booth was here to call her Bones too. Much as she denied it, the nickname didn't irk her. It fact, she loved it. Nicknames were a sign of affection.

"Thank God," Jared said, once he found out who she was. He lead her to a seat. "Can you tell me anything? Why is Seeley here? What happened to my little brother? The hospital staff won't say anything." Brennan felt her heart break for Jared. She tried to find the best way to tell him his brother had been shot because of her.

She came up with nothing.

-

"Oh, that's so sad," said the receptionist to Angela. The artist was lounging over the desk, telling a condensed version of what had happened and who Booth was to Brennan to the receptionist.

"Yeah, he's the only one she's got, barring me and the other squints," Angela agreed with a nod. "If he doesn't make it, I'm not sure she will either." She paused for effect. "Do you think there is anything you could do? Cold you get us any news? Please, it would be greatly appreciated."

"I wasn't lying before, when I said I don't have any news," the receptionist replied. "But I will see what I can do."

"Thank you." After a minute or two on the phone, the receptionist returned.

"Well..."

"They've got one of the bullets out, but the other one is lodged near his spinal cord and the situation must be handled delicately. There is great risk involved in retrieving it." she said. Angela sighed.

"How much longer?"

"They aren't sure."

"Will he ... I mean, is he out of danger? He's not going to ... you know," Angela said, in a wavering voice.

"They don't know yet," was the truthful reply. "He's flat lined several times. But he's fighting. A lot."

"He won't go down easily," said Angela confidently.

-

Brennan's phone rang. She apologized to Jared, who looked dazed and worried after she'd finished her recount, and pulled her hand out of his. She still couldn't believe how similar he and his brother were. Turing away from the beautiful brown eyes he shared with Booth, she pulled out her cell and answered.

"What?" she said as a greeting, not bother to look at the ID.

"Well, well, this turned out better than I'd planned." said a cold voice, that sent icy shivers down her spine.

"You bastard," she said, in a low voice, so not to alert anyone in the waiting room of who she was talking to. "You fuckin' bastard! I will kill you."

"Even if you killed my assassin, it still couldn't have worked out better," continued the man on the other end of the line, unconcerned. "I was planning on kidnapping you but this is too good."

"When I find you I will kill you. Slowly and painfully." she promised. "What Seeley is feeling now will be nothing compared to what-"

"How is Agent Booth?" Asked the man. "Will he live?"

"I'm certain he will," she said, convincing the man on the line, but not herself.

"Okay! Change of plans," he said jovially. "Instead of kidnapping and torturing you, I'm going to kill your partner then kill you."

"You come near him and I swear I will fucking..."

"It's settled then," the creepy voice said. "Keep an eye out for me. I hope you don't slip up, for Agent Booth's sake."

Then she was listening to dial tone.

"Fuck," she said softly. It was her fault. Booth might die, and it was all her fault. She looked over to Jared, sitting with his head in his hands, face pale and twisted with worried for his little brother.

Her stalker wanted her to suffer. He was going to kill Booth to do so.

Even if he survived the gunshot wounds, Booth would still be in danger.

It was all her fault.

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**Yeah, I know. The stalker just waltzed onto the paper, closely tailed by a plot line. When I wrote this story, I wasn't certain if Booth would live or die. But know I'm swaying towards surviving the gun shot wounds and maybe not surviving something else ... So, if you want Booth to live, you MUST review. (I'm blackmailing you :) )**


	3. THE THINGS THAT BONES DISLIKES

_Runs off and hides. _Woah, okay, I won't kill Booth off, jeez. Hehe, you all seem pretty opposed to the idea. Anyway, I just thought I'd mention that I have NO medical knowledge whatsoeva. Only using what I know from House and a little bit of Grey's Anatomy.

Oh, and I forgot to disclaim it: I own everything!! NOT!! Come on, I'm 15 years old.

_

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_

_That's the last bullet. _

_How's he doing?_

_Vitals are weak, but he looks to be out of danger._

_Get him to the ICU._

_Someone has to inform his family..._

There were some things Temperance Brennan didn't like. Clowns, murderers, processed food, being left by someone she loved, and people who chewed tobacco. She knew she didn't like them and avoided any possible contact with all of these things.

But now Brennan had a new dislike to add to her list.

It now read: clowns, murderers, processed food, being left by someone she loved, people who chewed tobacco and, lastly, being advanced upon by a haggard looking doctor covered in blood.

For some unknown reason, the sight of the doctor waking directly towards her and Jared was terrifying. He was a portly man who looked to be about 40. His glasses were on lopsided and his unruly red hair was sticking up in all directions. It would have been an amusing sight, if it hadn't been for the crimson liquid that coated his surgical gloves.

This was it. The big moment. She would find out if Booth had lived or died. She would find out if he would make it to tomorrow or next week. She would find out if she had to begin to build up the walls around her heart again, because someone else had left her.

She and Jared had been sitting together, holding hands, not speaking for the last hour and a half. Their was no need for words. They were both lost in similar thoughts. Similar, but also different. They were both praying Booth would make it, that he'd pull through. But Brennan was also engulfed in guilt, blaming herself for what had happened. The phone call played in her mind, again and again. It was constantly nagging her, she couldn't forget what the man had said.

"Dr Brennan, Mr Booth," the doctor said, as he reached the pair, who had stood as soon as the man had appeared at the door to the waiting room.

"How is he?" Jared asked, his voice low and surprisingly calm. Brennan knew it was a trait that was shared with his brother. Seeley was also calm in a crisis, realizing that their was nothing he could do to help if he panicked. It was not a trait Brennan had. If Jared hadn't been here, she probably would have grabbed the man by the shoulders and started to shake him until he'd talked.

"We think he's out of danger. The second bullet was removed and I believe the procedure was done carefully enough to ensure that no damage was inflicted on his spinal cord or any major organs," the doctor assured them. "Blood lose was a major problem and he with need transfers for the next few days, but other than that..."

"So he's going to make it?" Brennan asked, as the words actually started to sink in. The look of worry that morphed into a look of elation on Jared's face mirrored her own, as the words began to sink in. "He's going to be fine!" She cried again, as she threw her arms around the man beside her. Her and Jared laughed and cried together for several moments until Brennan released him and turned back to the doctor, who was grinning too, the happiness of the couple infectious. "Thank you. Thank you so much, doctor."

"I have to say," the man started, "it was a tremendous amount of will power on Seeley's part. He really fought. That man wasn't about to give up and go down easily any time soon."

"That's my little brother," said Jared, proudly. "Seeley doesn't give up on anything, even if it is difficult."

Brennan believed that. After all, he hadn't given up on her, had he?

"Where is he now?" Brennan asked, once she regained her voice. The grin on her face still huge. "I have to go berate him for getting himself shot."

"That will have to wait for a couple days, Dr Brennan," the doctor explained. "He is in the ICU. You can sit with him, but the medication we have him on should keep him out of it for several days. He might wake up for a short time but he won't be very coherent."

Brennan's grin faded. "But he'll be okay, right?"

"Yes, I'm sure that, in time, he will make a full recovery," the doctor assured the pair.

"Thank God," Jared said, running his hair through his hair. Brennan was struck by the similarity between him and Booth. It was almost as if she were watching a video or standing next to a clone of her partner. They looked the same, acted the same and said the same things. It was surreal. "Can we...?" Jared asked, softly.

"Yes, I'll take you up to the ICU now," the doctor directed them through the hall and into a lift. "Just between us, I shouldn't really be allowing you to visit him, Dr Brennan, as you're not family."

"She is Seeley's family," Jared said, "Bones, here, may not be blood related but they are family, of a different kind."

"I see. In that case, it should be okay. Just don't tell anyone."

Brennan was thankful and grateful that Jared had said such a thing. If the hospital staff had kept her from seeing Booth she probably would have flipped and seriously hurt someone.

The threesome started down a corridor. It was filled with yelling doctors and interns and painful screams, as accident victims were wheeled in and attended to. Brennan couldn't help but remember what Booth had looked like after he'd been shot. The blood covering everything in sight. The gapping holes in his stomach. The convulsions as the pain started to set in. The paramedics pressing gauze to his abdomen in an attempt to halt the flow of blood.

Brennan found her thoughts wondering to the abstract. That was design fault with human beings, she thought. Blood automatically traveled to the site of an injury. It would be better if the blood just stayed were is was and minded it's own business. Then Booth wouldn't have lost so much of it. Damn blood.

Suddenly, all the noise and commotion stopped. They'd turned into the relative silence of the ICU. Nurse bustled around and Brennan could hear the sobbing of someone in a room not far away, but, in comparison to the paralyzing sounds that filled the emergency room, this place was deadly silent.

Jared took her hand and squeezed it gently, as the doctor opened the door to the room, giving her strength.

Brennan was glad he had, because the sight before her almost caused her to fall to her knees.

Booth was a force of nature. He was the strongest person she'd ever met. But now, lying in the hospital bed, he looked weak and vulnerable.

She didn't know what she'd expected, but it defiantly wasn't this. The man before looked nothing like he usually did. He was so pale, paler then usual. Walking to the bed, she grasped his hand, avoiding the IV drip, and felt how cold and clammy he was.

That was another thing about her partner. He was always warm. Even during the middle of winter, when Brennan would find herself engulfed in a "guy hug," Booth would be warm and cuddly. Not that she would ever be caught dead admitting that, of course.

A faint beeping caught Brennan's attention. She noticed that the heart monitor connected to his chest was informing them that his pulse was above normal, and he had a temperature. She also noticed that one of the machines connected was pumping blood into him.

It was strange to see him so dependent, even if it was on machines.

Gently, Brennan reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from his face.

"Seeley, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "You know that apologies aren't my thing and that I usually run away from something I can't handle but..." she paused to take a deep breath. "I have to tell you how sorry I am."

"You love him, don't you?" asked Jared. Brennan had all but forgotten the older Booth sibling, who was sitting on a chair on the other side of the bed, studying his sleeping brother.

"I don't know what I feel, with regards to Seeley Booth," she replied, with a wane smile. "But I'm worried that he won't feel the same as whatever it is I'm feeling." Thinking about this was going to give her a headache.

"For one, I know he has the hots for you, if that's what you mean," Brennan blushed. "He talks about you all the time."

Both of them turned to look at the man in the bed again. His face was relax and he would have appeared to be sleeping peacefully, if it wasn't for the nasal cannula he was wearing and the pallor of his skin.

"Wait, you talk about me?" Brennan asked, incredulous, as his words began to sink in.

"All the time," Jared laughed quietly at the look on her face. "If it's not a story about Parker then it's a story about you."

"Your really close, aren't you? You and Seeley?"

"Yes," Jared looked down at his brother. "When our parents died, he, Katie and I became inseparable."

"Wait," Brennan looked stunned. "Your parents are dead? And who's Katie?"

"Katie's our sister," he smiled at her, "Seeley doesn't tell many people about his siblings for fear we'd get hurt because of what he does for a living."

"Makes sense," Brennan said. She knew it was a practical way to kept his family safe from getting used against him, but she couldn't help but wish that Booth had trusted her enough to tell her about them.

"Yeah. I wish he didn't work for the FBI."

"Why?" Brennan was clueless as to why he'd want that. Booth's job was high risk, sure, but he enjoyed doing it because he got the satisfaction of putting murderers behind bars and making the world a safer place. Wouldn't his brother want to see him happy, doing something he enjoyed?

"Because ... he's my little brother," Jared looked down at Booth. "I hate seeing him get hurt and, when we were little, I'd try to protect him as much as I could."

"Somehow, I can't see Seeley enjoying being protected," Brennan laughed.

"No, he hated it," Jared looked off into the distance, reminiscing. "But I was his big brother so I had too. Him and Katie are the only legit family I've got."

Brennan thought about that for a moment and felt overwhelming guilt. She reached out to touch Booth's hair softly but caught herself and clenched her fist, pulling back. "It's my fault he's lying here," she said. For some reason, she wanted to cry again but, instead, she found her voice raising in anger. "Those bullets were meant for me. I was meant to suffer though this, not him."

"Bones..." Jared started, sounding so much like his injured brother. "It's okay."

"No," her voice rose more. It was filled with self-flagellation "No. Your brother might die, because of me, so don't try and tell me it's okay."

"There was nothing you could do ..."

"I should have left. Ran away, like I usually do," she said coolly. "But now I can't because the sadistic asshole who is after me wants Seeley dead, to watch me suffer. I have to make sure that doesn't happen."

"I don't understand what you just said, but I promise I'll help you, okay?" Jared said, he pulled her into a hug. "I've been watching over my little brother for years, so this will be like ... studying something at college, then going out in the real world to perfect it."

At that moment, her phone rang. Glancing at the ID Brennan realized it was an unknown number. The words _stalker _immediately popped into her mind. Everyone who knew the number to her cell was in it's phone book. But, of course, she didn't have her 'run-of-the-mill-psychopathic-stalker-who-planned-to-kill-her-as-per-usual' programmed into the phone.

"What?" she asked, her voice icy but retaining a hit of nervousness.

"So, your little knight-in-shinning-FBI-issue-body-armor pulled through, did he?"

"How do you know that phrase?" Brennan asked, her voice raising again. Angela had told her that years ago. She'd never said it again, after that.

"I know everything about you, Temperance," he said, with a chuckle. "So, do you think Agent Booth would prefer to die quickly or have a vain chance of escape? Because I could organize either, precious."

"You won't be coming anywhere near him, or me," Brennan vowed into the phone.

"You think? Look under Agent Booth's pillow." The phone disconnected.

Dropping the cell, Brennan rushed to her partner's side. Gently as she could, she placed a hand under his pillow and felt her hand come into contact with something cold and metal. Slowly, she started to withdraw her hand, until Booth stirred slightly, moving his head to the side and muttering one, unintelligible word. He didn't move anymore but still Brennan stopped moving and gently placed a hand on the side of his face.

"Shhh, Seeley. It's okay." She knew she was stalling. She really didn't want to remove the object under the pillow. She could already guess what it was and it terrified her.

Finally, she summoned up all her courage and pulled it out. It was what she'd expected.

A gun, with a note attached. Trembling, she picked it up, and unfolded the paper. It was typed in all capitals and bold print:

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

TIME IS RUNNING OUT, PRECIOUS

How the hell had he done that? Booth had been in this room less than 20 minutes. Brennan felt her blood begin to boil. She struggled to breathe deeply, as her hands started to shake. Dropping the letter and gun, she stumbled backwards. Strong hands caught her and helped her into a chair. She leaned over and placed her head in her hands.

Brennen could see Jared pick up what she had found and read the note. He looked terrified and confused, glancing to his brother, he turned to her and started to demand to know what it was about.

"What is this, Temperance?" he asked, scanning over the paper again. "Is this what you were talking about?"

"Yes, this it what I meant before," she reached over the Booth and straightened his sheet. "He's going to die, because of me. The sadistic son-of-a-bitch could have killed him before we even got here. He could be dead already." She knew he was tormenting her, pushing her as far as he could, causing her as much pain as possible. "It's my fault."

"Shh, it's okay," Jared pulled her into a hug. "It's okay."

She sobbed into his chest for the longest moment. Holding onto her tightly, Jared rubbed slow circles into her back and whispered comforting words.

Suddenly, a quiet, weak voice broke through the silence. It was so soft, almost unintelligible, but it rung in Brennan's ears.

"Bones?" Booth's voice was slurred slightly but Brennan could still hear the hurt in it. "Who's that?"

* * *

Okay, I was reading back through the story and I realized that Brennan and Jared seemed very affectionate towards each other. Maybe, I should make them fall for each other ... tell me, yes or no. It's a pretty evil idea isn't? But I can fix it if enough people review with an 'anti-Booth's brother and Bones shacking up together' feeling. ;)

Btw: Jared was facing away from Booth so it could just look like Brennan is hugging a tall, dark and handsome other man to a morphine-induced mind.

Also: Your reviews equal totally awesomness! They make me high,I swear. Like the oxygen I breathe ...


	4. IT'S BETTER THIS WAY

Holy sht!! I can't tell you how much I love the reviews!!

* * *

_I'm pulled down by the undertow,_

_Never thought I could feel so low,_

_and, oh, darkness, I feel like letting go._

* * *

_"Who's that?"_

* * *

"Seeley?" Jared turned to his brother and saw he was awake, although fighting to not lose to the unconsciousness again. Brennan watched as Jared's face broke out in a smile, unlike the worried expression he'd worn only moments ago. "Seeley, it's me. Jared." 

"Jared?" His words were slurred. His eyes were filled with a dazed unawareness from the pain meds. He was barely coherent, but still she could see confusion as to why his older sibling and work partner/close friend were hugging. "What ... you and Bones?"

She laughed at the irony. Booth had thought she was hugging someone else and had gotten jealous. It was those alpha-male attributes again. But, she realized, the amount of drugs the hospital staff had him on could cause disorientation and confusion. She'd probably looked as though she was hugging a tall, dark and handsome other man. Understandable misinterpretation.

Still, leave to Booth to go into alpha-male form, even when he was in ICU recovering from being shot.

"God, Seeley, jealous much?" Jared grinned at his little brother, as he reached over to get him a drink. "It was a "guy hug," as you like to call them." He offered the water to Booth but found he'd already closed his eyes again.

Brennan realized she was still standing about a foot away from the bed. Why hadn't she rushed over to him?

Glancing at the gun still clutched in her hands, she realized couldn't go near him. He was only going to get hurt if she did.

"I should go," she said, backing towards the door.

"Temperance, wait," Jared reached for her hand. "Where do you need to go?"

"Somewhere far away," she felt her heart break as she spoke the words. "It's the only way he'll stay safe. I will take my stalker and go far away."

"Bones," she turned to see that Booth's eye were open again but he was struggling to stay awake. "Don't go, please."

"But..."

"Please..." his voice trailed off as he slipped back into unconsciousness. She found herself moving towards the bed slowly, as though her body and her mind were trying to do different things. Her brain was screaming for her to leave, to go far away and, hopefully, keep him safe. Her body was moving towards Booth, as though it was taking orders from her heart instead. Her heart was pushing and prodding her towards her broken and bloodied partner, telling her to stay here and keep him safe herself.

Booth had always told her it was okay to listen to her heart. But listening to her head had always served her better.

Slowly, she sat down and took his hand. "I'm sorry, Seeley. I can't let you get hurt." Planting a gentle kiss on his head, she pulled away, walking slowly to the door.

Jared was standing stock still, staring at her with an open mouth. Brushing past him, she turned down the hall and began to walk towards the lifts, not pausing to give the aghast hospital staff a second glance. She supposed it was only natural they would gawk. She was still covered in blood and she was fighting tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. And the gun and note were in her bag, though she doubted they knew that. After a moment she felt a hand on her arm. Spinning around she saw it was Jared. She hadn't even heard him running up behind her to catch up. She'd been lost in her own guilty thoughts.

"What?" she asked, fire and pain in her tone.

"You can't do this," Jared looked shocked that she was running away.

"I have to. That man, my stalker, if you will, won't stop," Brennan said angrily, pulling her arm out of his grasp. "He'll hurt Seeley. I have to get away before that happens."

"Fine. If you want to run, then be that way," Jared said, looking her in the eye. "But, you will hurt him more than anything your stalker could do. You see, Dr Brennan," what happened to Bones? "My brother has seen more of the horrors in this word then most other person. He was in the car when it crashed, killing our parents. He watched them die," Jared paused for a moment. "Then, when he joined the army, he was forced to kill many people. Seeley isn't the type of person who brushes that off. It hurt him to kill them, even if it was saving many other people." Brennan knew this was true. Booth acted with his heart, not his head. It would have been devastating to him. "I don't know if you know, but he also spent so time in a POW camp, while in the army." Jared shuddered slightly as he remembered. "I still remember when he came back. He couldn't walk properly, he was weak and thin and horribly beaten and scarred. It hurt me to see my brother like that. But it hurt him more. It was then that he really started to realize how terrible some people could be." Brennan closed her eyes, trying not to allow the feelings of guilt to engulf her. "And now, he deals with murderers and kidnappers and rapists and decomposing skeletons on a daily basis. He seems to always draw the short straw, don't you think?"

"I want to stop him from getting hurt," Brennan persisted. "I want to save him from this. I'm trying to help."

Jared held up a hand. "I'm not finished." Brennan closed her mouth and crossed her arms, ineffectively making a barrier between them. "But, even after seeing all this, going through it all, he still retains a ... well, a childlike innocence." Jared laughed at his own words. "Seeley still believes in love at first site and soul mates and things like that. If you leave now, you'll destroy that. If he wakes up and see that you left him, you'll hurt him even more then what your stalker ever could."

Brennan stopped for a moment, running those words through her mind. Food for thought. Every part of her heart told her stay here, with her partner and best friend, and hold his hand. To be there when he woke up, opening his big, brown eyes and grinning at her, assuring her that everything was alright, even though it should be her assuring him. But she couldn't. It was better this way.

_It's better this way, I said,_

_Haven't seen this place before._

_Where everything we say or do,_

_hurts us all the more._

"I'm willing to take that chance," she said, and wondered if she really meant it.

-

_If all of the strength and all of the courage_

_come and lift me from this place._

_I know I can love you much better than this..._

Brennan dropped the keys to her apartment, as she attempted to open the lock, her fingers trembling and unshed tears blurring his focus. Picking them up, she manage to unlock the door, step inside and kick it viciously shut. Relishing from the loud slamming noise it made, she trudged into the bedroom, surprised to find Angela standing in her walk in wardrobe.

"You taking your anger out on unsuspecting doors, sweetie?" Angela asked, as she held up two shirts. "I thought you would stay at the hospital. What's up?"

"What are you doing here, Angela?" Brennan asked, as she took in the bag Angela had packed for her.

"Don't you remember? I told you I'd come and get you some clothes so you could stay with Booth at the hospital," Angela pulled her to the bed, forcing her to sit. "Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not, Ange," Brennan stood up again and started placing even more clothes in the bag. "I have to go."

"Go? Go where?" Angela grabbed her arm. "Look, go have a shower, get cleaned up, rest for a bit. Then I'll take you back to the hospital."

"I'm not going back to the hospital." Zipped up the bag, she flung it over her shoulder and stalked out of the room.

"But ... what about Booth?" Angela was practically chasing after her.

"Can you go stay with him? Make sure he's safe and be there for him and tell him ... I said goodbye," Brennan grasped both of her best friend's hands and looked her directly in the eyes, hopping against hope the Angela would understand and listen. When confusion stayed in her eyes, Brennan sighed and reached into her bag, dumping the gun and note into Angela's hands. "I found it at the hospital."

Angela glanced down at the objects in her hands. "What is this?"

"He's the one who's doing this. He is going to kill Seeley unless I leave." She moved towards the door before Angela could resist.

"Temperance, where are you going?" But the door was already shut and she was already gone.

-

Ten minutes later she was speeding down the high way, trying to determine where she could go, until her phone rang again. Brennan looked at the ID screen, praying it wasn't Angela for the umpteenth time.

It wasn't.

"Leave me alone!!" She screamed into the mouth piece.

"Tut tut, precious. Running away are we?" The coldness of the voice never stopped amazing her. Their was no warmth to his voice. It sounded dead, distant. "I'll still kill him, you know."

"No! Come after me. Forget about Seeley," she said, knowing her voice sounded desperate.

"Sorry, Tempe, no can do," he laughed. "But it is your choice. Whether your their or not, I'll still kill him, but you'll get to vainly try to protect him if you come back to the hospital. This game has become much more fun."

"I will save him from you," she said, coolly. "Mark my words, I will make sure he's safe."

"You know, if you want, I could kill him right now. I'm in the hospital now, precious. My, Seeley's brother looks just like him." Brennan felt her heart compress. Snapping the phone shut and squashing the urge to throw it out the window, she slammed on the breaks and made a U-turn.

She prayed she wouldn't be too late.

_Full of grace, full of grace, my love..._

* * *

So... whatcha think?? I know, I know, it's kinda slow but i promise next chapter will be focused on the stalker and there'll be another threat of Booth's life. The Bad Guy's planning something, I know it :). I'll also tell you who he is and how he knows everything about Brennan. But she won't figure it out yet ;) I'm evil! 

BTW the lyrics are Full Of Grace by Sarah McLachlan. I couldn't figure out what to use as italics at the start but this song really fit. It isn't because of Buffy and it's ties to David B. I just adore that song.

Review if you want quick updates :) I'm also thinking Jared could die, so tell me what you think of that idea!


	5. WELCOME TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING

**Hugs to my amazing reviewers. So for the lateness - I as meant to update couple nights back but the website wouldn't let me :(. This chapter isn't up to my usual standards (frankly, I'm kinda disapointed with it) but enjoy anyway:**

* * *

"_I thought you decided to run away?"_

"_No need to be snippy."_

"_You just deserted my brother. I deserve to be snippy."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_You should be. What the hell was I going to say if he woke up and you weren't here?"_

"_I don't know...but I'm back and he's alive."_

"_Of course he is. I'm the only one who's been here."_

"_Really? Then how...?"_

**FLASHBACK**

"And then he said that – th- that ... that if I couldn't find the guy I use to be married to then maybe it wasn't fate for US to be married," Angela sniffled slightly, tears flowing freely down her cheeks and falling into the glass of strong alcohol in her hand. "I mean, how could HE say that?" Tittering slightly and muttering curses under her breathe, she swayed, leaning onto the man next to her for support.

"Woah, don't slip, precious," the man said, grasping her shoulder.

"Whoopsie daisy," she giggled loudly.

"Maybe you've had enough," the stranger said. "I should probably get you home." But Angela, in her drunken state, didn't pick up that the man was planning on raping her and leaving her on the side of the road.

"Maybe your right," Angela bust into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into the bench. "But it's not like Jack would care if I didn't come home. He doesn't want to marry me."

Silently, the man picked up her bag and pulled out her wallet, certain the drunk women didn't notice his movements. Pulling out a ten dollar bill, and pocketing a fifty dollar bill, he paid the bartender. Then he noticed a picture in the picture space of her wallet. It was of a highly unusual group of six, five wearing blue lab coats and a tall man wearing a suit. The women in the middle was holding a skull. She was beautiful.

"Who's this?" He asked Angela, who looked up and squinted at the picture.

"I can't really see, but I assume your looking at the picture in my wallet and your male, so unless your gay and looking at Booth, then you're staring at my best friend Temperance Brennan," Angela said, correctly predicting who the man was looking at.

"The one with the reddish hair?"

"Yes," Angela replied and took one false serious tone. "Temperance Brennan, world-renown Anthropologists and author. Fearless leader of her "squints" at the Jeffersonian."

"Is she...taken?" the stranger said, staring at the picture again.

"Well, she flirts outrageously with Booth, and turned down the last guy who asked her to travel the world on a little boat with him because of our sexy FBI agent there," the man caught a gist of what she was saying. He could already tell that him and this Temperance Brennan were meant for each other. He'd make sure of that. And he'd use to drunk women beside him to tell him everything.

"I'll order you another drink," he offered. "Then you can tell me everything about Temperance, precious."

"Okay," Angela seemed slightly perky now. "Well, Tempe, my bestest friend in the whole world, despite a formly quite reluctant one..."

"Can I have her number?"

"Sure! But make sure her knight-in-shinning-FBI-issue-body-amour doesn't find out..."

-

"Ooow," Angela make a strange noise then fell back onto the couch, her head pounding.

"Ange, baby, what happened last night?" Hodgins was standing over her, trying to discern what was wrong with his so-to-be wife.

"I don't remember a thing," she said, groaning.

END FLASHBACK

Temperance Brennan's nerves were frayed. And she hated that. The constant knowledge that one of her best friends, her partner, could die at any moment was destroying her. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, hell, she barely left the hospital. For the past three days she had found herself at Booth's side all day. She brought her laptop there, propped it up on the edge of the bed so she could finished lab reports and write more chapters of her novel. Every morning she would wake up with a cramp in her side from sleeping sprawled uncomfortably in a hospital chair.

But her stalker hadn't struck again. She hadn't received any chilling messages or notes or packages. Had he decided to back off? She prayed he had, while all the while knowing he wouldn't've.

Everyone knew about him know, except for Booth of course, as he was still unconscious. The squints were devoting as much time as possible to finding and catching the man but it was impossible. They had no leads whatsoever. All the notes and messages he'd sent Brennan previously were dead ends. There was nothing to relax Brennan, except the fact that he hadn't struck again.

She was also worried about Booth.

Sitting at his side at the hospital, she wondered when he would wake. The doctors said he was out of danger, it was now up to him. He'd come into consciousness several times, only to mutter a none sensible word or two, until falling back into the dark oblivion. She knew he would come back to her soon but it was just a case of when...

-

...Two days later, as Brennan just finished the fifth chapter of her latest book, she saw the tiniest movement out of the corner of her eye and let out a gasp when she felt Booth's hand touch hers. Staring at it for a moment, comprehending, she managed to turn hers over to grasp his, avoiding the IV drip.

"Hey, Bones," she heard him whisper, in a dry, croaky voice. She didn't look up, preferring to simply stare at their intertwined hands.

"How are you feeling, Seeley?" She asked softly, sighing as she felt his finger rub small circles in the back of her hand.

"I'm fine," he whispered. "Disorientated, tired and sore, but hey, I'm alive so that's par for the course."

Hearing him laughing slightly, she looked up. She'd done it again. Expected him to look much different then he did. She'd expected he'd be sitting up, grinning, moving, laughing, eyes bright and wide.

It was not what she saw.

Booth looked so tired. His eyes were half closed and his head was turned slightly to look at her, not raised. The morphine had caused his speech to slur and his eyes were unfocused. He was barely retaining consciousness.

This was the moment. The one she'd been waiting for. The moment when he would finally wake up. But now, looking into his eyes, she wished he was still unconscious. Then she wouldn't have to tell him about the madman stalking her. She wouldn't have to tell him there was a high chance he could die sometimes in the near future. It would be easier to keep him safe if he were still unconscious. She wouldn't have to look into those chocolate brown eyes and wonder if she'd be seeing them cold and dead sometime soon.

Then he asked her the strangest thing.

"How are you?" What the hell? Dropping her eyes down again, Brennan felt a deep sense of shame from the knowledge that Booth, who had almost been killed and had flat lined several times, was asking her how she was. He was more worried about her, then about finding out if he was going to live.

"You're the one in the hospital bed," she said, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She steeled herself, forcing them not to fall, and prayed he wouldn't see them. The stress of the last few days had left here emotionally traumatize. The slightest thing could set her of. "Why are you asking ME?"

"Temperance, look at me," she felt a one of his fingers on her chin. Slowly she looked up, meeting Booth's concerned eyes again. He seemed slightly more alert. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I...it's my fault," she said, dropping her head again, unwilling to look at him anymore. "It's my fault you got shot. It's my fault there's a hit on your life. If I hadn't been so stupid..." She was cut off by Booth pulling her into a hug. She found herself falling into his embrace, careful not to hurt his abdomen, but all the while burying herself into his chest as best she could.

"Hey, it's okay," he said into her hair, as she hugged him tightly. She didn't cry, though. "Bones, it's okay, I promise."

Composing herself, she pulled away, straighting the blankets for a moment to avoid telling him the truth.

But he deserved to know.

"Three weeks ago, I started getting text messages and strange calls and notes," she said, speaking fast. "They kept saying things like 'we belong together' and 'you are my precious.' I was understandably unnerved."

"That day," Booth nodded in understanding, "at the crime scene. You seemed really distressed after that phone call."

"Yes," she said. "It was the first time he called. He said something about catching up. But in a threatening way, you know?" She searched his eyes for understanding and found it. "I told him ... what did I say ... 'I could never love a sadistic freak like him and to get the hell out of my life.'"

"Umm, Bones?" Booth half raised his hand in question then winced in pain. "It's never a good idea to provoke those kinds of people. Stalker etiquette 101." He said. Surprising herself, she laughed, unable to believe that he could find humor in this situation.

"Okay, so that probably wasn't a good idea," she agreed. "He then went on to say that we'd be together no matter what and I should keep my eyes open for him. Then he hung up." She fought to keep composure, remembering the fear that had spread through her body when she'd received that call.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Booth asked softly, after he'd taken a moment to digest it. The whisper he spoke in could have been from wooziness brought on by the morphine or sadness that she hadn't shared it with him. "We're partners. You're meant to tell me when something like that happened."

Brennan thought he looked hurt.

"I didn't want to worry you," she said. "I didn't want to get you involved. I didn't want things to get out of hand."

He rolled his eyes. "And this isn't out of hand?" he asked, gesturing around the hospital room. Sighing she nodded. Booth's eyes fluttered as he fought the effects of the painkillers, threatening to knock him out again. Watching him, she almost didn't reply, worried all this talking was tiring.

"Yes, it is," she admitted finally. "Anyway, the guy that shot you was meant to take me captive. To kidnap me. But I killed him," she looked at the ground. "I killed him. Without a moments hesitation I took his life."

"You did the right thing," Booth said, taking her hand. She was surprised by how weak the grip was. "Things would be a lot worse if you hadn't. I wouldn't be alive, for one thing. You probably wouldn't either."

"But that's the thing," she said, her voice rising. "The man, my stalker, said he was going to kill you, anyway. Sometime soon, to hurt me. He could've hurt you twice already, probably more times," she looked into his eyes, watching as they filled with confusion. She didn't explain, though. "I wouldn't be able to cope if you..."

"Shh, Bones," he placed a finger on her lips. "You can explain it all later." Groaning softly, he shifted as much to the side of the bed as possible, then took her handed and gestured for her to lie down with him. She did, curling up beside her partner, careful not to hurt him in anyway. "So, let me get this straight," he paused for a moment, brow crinkling in thought. "The guy who is stalking you wants to kill me?"

"Yes," she sighed, burying closer to him as much his injuries would allow.

"So tell me, how exactly is that your fault?" she knew he was teasing her. "You trying to take credit for something you didn't do?"

"Seeley," she hit him very softly on the arm. Laughing quietly, she felt herself drifting into unconsciousness as one of Booth's arms snaked around her stomach, pulling her closer, but all the while assuring there was distance. Once upon a time, she would have thought it was just as much to do with the fact that they were "just partners," as it was to do with his injuries. But now, she thought it was just the latter.

After less then a minute, her partner was asleep, the sound of his steady breathing and the peaceful look on his face enough to lull her into a undisturbed rest too.

-

"He still hasn't called again, Dr Brennan?" Zach asked.

"No, Zach. If he had, there would a lot more movement around this platform," she said uncharacteristically sarcastically. "You, for one, would be narrowing down the phone range."

"Yes, Dr Brennan," the young doctor looked fearful and started to hurry away. "I'll be over here, Dr Brennan."

Sighing, she dropped into her chair and started to rub her temples. She had finally decided it was time to leave the hospital, now that Booth was awake. He'd only been conscious for 24 hours, but already he had an endless stream of visitors at almost all times. Squints, Jared, Rebbecca and Parker, FBI officials and friends Brennan didn't know. So she thought it would be safe to come to the lab. Booth had insisted he was fine and that her 'constant interrogation of doctors, interns, nurses, cleaners, food providers, lost visitors of other patients and 4 year old children was irritating. Plus the constant security drills were unneeded and annoying.' She'd laughed at this, replied with a remark about how she couldn't afford for him to die because 'I wouldn't be woken up at quarter past eleven with takeout and a excuse that I don't eat enough.'"

It felt good to fall back into their normal routine of bickering, even though Booth was in the hospital and doctors were constantly breaking them up so wounds could get re-dressed and vitals could be taken. But she still loved the concept of normality. The way every thing seemed less real when they were joking about hospital food or bickering about the better synonym for decomposed, as Brennan spent a good deal of the time writing her novel.

But she was still weary, fearing her stalker would call at anytime.

She knew it was coming. But she didn't know it would be so soon

A metallic rendition of Hotblooded sounded. She glanced at the caller ID. The number was unknown.

"It's him!" she shouted, when her phone rang. Hopping up from the seat, she rushed to Zach, who started to track where the call was from. All the squints had gathered around her, listening for news.

"Answer it," Zach instructed, after a moment. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the go button.

"Yes?" Brennan said, trying to sound as confident as possible.

"Well, well, well. Agent Booth pulled through, did he? I should go welcome him back to the land of the living, even though he'll only be staying for a short time."

"Thats what you think," Brennan said, unable to contain the hint of victory in her voice. "Your plan is going to fail."

A cold chuckle. "Thats what you think." Brennan felt her blood run cold. "I'm standing outside Agent Booth's hospital room, watching him chatting happily with his brother. I could go kill him now."

"If you so much as ..."

"...place a finger on Seeley Booth I will hunt you down and beat you to death with a shovel, blah blah, blah," the man said, in a false, high voice, imitating her. "I know the drill. But that doesn't change the fact that he could be dead in, oh, about five minutes."

Brennan dropped the phone and was out the door without a second though.

-

"Jared! Did anyone see anything suspicious?" Brennan asked, as she rushed through the halls of the hospital. She'd called Booth's brother in the car, telling him to get his butt in gear and stop anything from happening to her partner.

"No, Bones, no one's seen anything out of the ordinary." Jared ran a hand through his hair. "I've been with Seeley the entire time. How could anyone possibly...?"

He trailed off.

"You keep asking if anyone saw something," Brennan patted his arm then pushed past the man. "I'm going to go check on him."

A moment later, she was practically running into her partner's room.

Fear engulf her entire body as he pictured what she could see before her. Booth; shot, stabbed, strangled, dead. Her partner's lifeless body, cold, dead eyes staring through her, the product of her mistakes.

Coming to a halt inside the room, she was surprised to see he was sitting up in the bed, peering intently into the chocolate pudding in his right hand, spoon in the other. Upon hearing her footsteps, he looked up, face breaking into a grin at the sight of her. The smile disappeared when he noticed the expression she wore.

"Bones? What's wrong?" He asked, sitting up, then placed a hand to the wounds on his abdomen. "Jared just disappeared once you called. Did your stalker call?"

"Are you okay, Seeley?" she examined the machines beside him, then placed a hand to his forehead.

"I'm fine," he pushed her hand away. "Is it him?"

"Yes, I got a call," she looked through the blinds and inside the small cupboard.

"I don't think he's here," Booth tried to laugh but failed miserably.

"You never know," she slumped into a chair. "Has anyone been here? Anyone you haven't seen before?"

"God, I feel like I'm a trauma victim being interviewed by myself. You know, the FBI is required to ask the exact same questions?"

"Seeley! Anyone you didn't recognize?" her voice was sounding desperate. Picking up on that, Booth sighed.

"No," his brow wrinkled. "I don't think so. I was out of it for a bit a minute ago but..."

"Wait. Out of it?" She glared at him. He wilted slightly under her pointed look.

"It's completely normal, I think, Bones!" Sighing, he pointed at the IV still connected to his hand. "They're still pumping painkillers into me. I doze off every five minutes. You know that."

"But what if someone had come in here and shot you, or stabbed you or ..."

"I would have noticed, Temperance," she was caught off balance by his use of her first name. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Okay, but I got a call..."

-

Five minutes later Seeley Booth began to choke to death.

* * *

**Oooooo suspense! The stalker has struck again! So, if you want to know what he did you'll have to review ... Also, tell me if you think it's too slow. I dunno, is it really boring you guys? I'm kinda hating this chapter, reading back, but it's eleven thirty at night so forgive me :). I'll make the next chapter better, promise.**

**A/N: I am going to put a made up something or other in the next chapter. Can't tell you what, yet, but you'll know what it is when it's mentioned.**

**AND (omg) longest chapter so far!! Snaps for me!!**


	6. STRIKE TWO

**Kaylam is a made-up substance, just so you know. This chapter was hard to write, expecially the start. Enjoy:**

* * *

"Zach! Do you know who it is or not??" Brennan paced across the linoleum floor in irritation. Her former assistant had called the hospital with news and now she was clutching the receiver in her hand, coaxing the information out of the young doctor. "Okay, then. Who does the cell belong to?" 

Booth watched impatiently from his spot in the hospital bed, trying to radiate an air of unconcern while all the while feeling nervous and worried at what the next couple minutes, hours, days could bring. It was very unnerving to know you could die sometime in the near future.

It wasn't unusual for him to be sporting an IV and bandages, that was a regular occurrence. Hell, a couple weeks ago he'd gone through a window while chasing a suspect, ending up with a reluctant over-night stay at the hospital and thousands of shards of glass embedded in his back. What was highly surreal was that Brennan was the half of their partnership that doing the protecting, detecting and worrying. Usually it was him. He'd be the one chasing down leads and not leaving her side.

Not that he wasn't happy to still be alive, but Booth couldn't help but wonder why the stalker guy had called with a threat to his life and not pulled through. It was strange and unnerving.

Suddenly, Booth started to find it hard to breath. He took deep, gasping breathes, chest heaving as he felt his larynx begin to tighten. Eyes watering, he raised a hand to his throat, trying to figure out what the problem could possibly be. He tried to swallow but found he couldn't.

"Bones," he gasped softly. She didn't look up, only raised a finger, listening intently to what Zach was saying.

"Sara Wenton? But that's a woman. 70 years old?" her voice sounded aghast. "Okay, I defiantly think that, while the phone could belong to her, she's not the one using it now."

Booth leaned forward as much as the wounds in his abdomen would allow. He could barely breath now, as he gasped for air, desperately trying to fill his lungs with much needed oxygen. "Bones," the word was barely heard.

"Get some people to interview her, see if she could tell us anything," Brennan still hadn't noticed that here partner was choking to death. "What? The call came from this hospital? How can that be possible!?"

Booth's back began to arch as he desperately tried to breath and he found himself looking at the ceiling. "Temper...I can't..." his voice trailed as he found he couldn't take in any air at all. "...breath." He rasped out the last, desperate word before bringing both hands up to his throat. Pain in his stomach forgotten, he tried to take in air, any air at all, but found the constant, massive breathes he was taking were in vain. "Help..." was the last plea he uttered softly before starting to choke even more

-

At his words, Brennan turned to look at Booth. He was clutching his throat, and taking huge, futile breaths. Dropping the receiver, she rushed to his side, pressing the emergency button as she tried to help him.

Doctors and nurses rushed into the room. One of them ordered her out. She didn't fight, like she had when he'd been shot. She didn't cry either. She simply allowed one of the nurses to half-drag, half-pull her out of the room. She was dazed and confused, too deep in shock to resist.

-

_What happened?_

_He's not breathing_

_We'll have to intubate_

_Easy does it. Careful, carefully_

_He's breathing, again_

_Heart rate's normal, out of danger _

_We need to find out what the hell happened_

-

"What happened?" she asked the doctor, in a calm voice. "Why can't he breath?"

"We believe he was poisoned, Dr Brennan,"

"Poisoned? How the hell did that happened?" Jared demanded. He'd rushed back to his brother's room when he'd seen the commotion.

"We think it was spread via his blood," the doctor explained, "using a needle or syringe."

"What was the substance?" Brennan asked. Jared looked at her in amazement, fascinated that she could be so calm in this situation, when she was a mess when Booth had been shot.

"We believe it was Kaylam," the doctor started to explain. "It's a high potent drug that causes the larynx to close-up, resulting in asphyxiation." [A/N That's my imagination, okay. Don't take anything about this to the bank

"Correct me if I'm wrong, doctor, but isn't Kaylam extremely rare and expensive?" Brennan asked, clogs in her brain turning.

"Yes it is."

"Jared, I need to borrow your cell," Brennan held her hand out to her partner's brother. "I left mine a the Jeffersonian."

"Sure, sure," he gave it too her. Moments later she was talking to her team on speaker phone.

"Guys, I need you to find my a list of everyone who has access to the drug Kaylam," she ordered.

"Dr Brennan," Zach replied, "that's not something we can easily get."

"Fine! Ange, hack into the FBI's computers and get me a list of everyone who has access to the drug Kaylam. Especially those living in Washington," Brennan said, exasperated.

"That's so illegal, Bren," Angela said. "So I'm up for it."

"Dr Brennan?"

"Yes, Zach?"

"Did something happen to Booth?"

"Yes, he was poisoned."

"Is he ... alive?"

"Yes, Zach."

"It was very close, Dr Brennan. Kaylam is extremely dangerous."

"Yes, it is, Zach." Brennan sighed. "That's why I need to find the bastard who did this."

-

Two hours later, Brennan was having a deja vu. She was holding Booth's hand, he was unconscious in a hospital bed. He looked so fragile, so weak, so much like the first time she'd seen him after he'd been shot. But this time, there was a tube down his throat, helping him breath.

Brennan watched as his chest rose and fell, praying the Kaylam that was being pumped out of his blood wouldn't effect his breathing permanently. Was her stalker going to keep doing this? Hurt her partner, wait until he'd recovered acceptably, then put him in danger again? She didn't think could live with it, if he would. Seeing Booth in constant pain would kill her.

Squeezing his hand, she wished he could hug her and tell her everything was alright again.

One tear trailed slowly down her cheek, landing on their joined hands.

-

"Bren, how is he?" Angela asked, as she and the rest of her brain trust rushed into the hospital room. She stopped suddenly, looking down at the FBI agent, who was still unconscious, causing Hodgins, Zack and Camille to practically run into her back. "Is he going to be okay? He doesn't look too good."

"He's going to be fine, I think," Brennan replied. Gesturing to the seats around the room, she told her fellow squints to sit down. Angela took a seat beside her and placed one arm around her shoulders. Brennan was grateful of this gesture of comfort, because she really needed it. Hodgins and Zach took seats on the other side of the bed, both wide-eyed as they stared open-mouthed at Booth. Brennan knew what they were thinking. How could such a strong man, who was usually so full of life, look so pale and weak? Lastly, Camille took the seat opposite Brennan, taking Booth's other hand in hers. Brennan was surprised to find she wasn't jealous of the pathologist. She and Booth were obvious still very close and very friendly, but they weren't together anymore. And Camille was now a part of the squint-squad. "Do we know who the bastard who did this to him is yet?"

"Well, Dr Brennan, Angela got us the extremely short list of people who are know or suspected to have used, dealt or have access to Kaylam." Zach said, quickly, producing a A4 sheet of paper.

"Zach! Stop talking so fast," Hodgins said. "Did you have caffeine?"

"No, I never drink coffee," the young doctor said seriously.

"And that's a good thing, man," Hodgins said.

"Gentlemen!" Brennan said, breaking their repartee. "Please, just tell me what you found."

"This man," Angela held up a photo, "was arrested 5 years old for possession of Kaylam. He was let out on a technicality, they couldn't find the drugs. The FBI thinks he has up to 20 kilograms of Kaylam stashed in his backyard or in the basement at his work or somewhere."

Brenna took the photo and stared at it hard. "How do I know this man? I've seen him before. Where was it?" Racking her brains, she tried to remember who he was.

"I have a feeling I've seen him before too," piped up Angela. "Anyway, this guy's name is Gary Hill. Lives by himself, in a place on the other side of town, but the neighbors haven't seen a car out the front or lights on in his house for the past couple months. Could mean that he's staying at a hotel to be close to you and the hospital. But it still doesn't explain how he could possibly know everything about you and how he can get so close to Booth?"

"I don't know. I really don't know," Brennan said. "This is more Booth's specialty." The group lapsed into silence.

-

Three hours later the hospital staff removed the tube that was connecting Booth to the respirator. Brennan was glad to see the horrid thing gone. It meant that there was no longer a machine breathing for him. He was strong enough to fight and do it himself.

Brenna looked around the room. Booth, lay sleeping, still connected to machines. Angela had her laptop out, in an attempt to find out more about Gary Hill, their main suspect. Hodgins was examining something under his fingernail, and rolling thoughts, theories and possible situations around his mind. Camille was pretending to read a magazine, but Brennan could see her sneaking glances at Booth out of the corner of her eye. Zach was asleep, snoring slightly. Looking around, Brennan realized that the six of them were a family, a crime-solving, butt-kicking, highly-dysfunctional family, but a family none the less.

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**Okay, you wanted quicker updates, so here you go. If you want another update tomorrow you MUST review. I won't update if you don't (points nose to the sky and pokes out tongue) Teh, heehee.**

**Like I said, Kaylam equals not real. My imagination. This is fanfic. Go with it :)**


	7. THIS IS ALL MY FAULT

**Yer, I know, it's been too long between updates. Life just keeps getting in the way. Anyway, this chapter isn't the best but review to tell me how to improve**

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_Bones, go home, have some rest_

_But..._

_I'm fine, I promise_

_You can barely move from pain!_

_So? Whether you're here or not isn't going to change that_

_But what if he comes back?_

_Look, go home, get some rest. Don't go to the lab!_

_I won't_

Twenty minutes later Brennan was home. Figuratively, not literally. Literally, she was at her home away from home. Bent over a skeleton at the Jeffersonian.

That was the most frustrating thing about this stalker business. It couldn't be solved by examining a skeleton. That was Brennan's problem. There was no dead body, no evidence, nothing that could lead her straight to the killer. She was out of her element.

So it was back to examining limbo bones. But she wasn't really doing more then staring at the bones. In actual fact, she was turning theories over in her mind, running the picture of their main suspect through her memory, worrying about Booth.

She'd left him at the hospital only 2 hours after he'd woken up from the latest attack. It wasn't what she'd wanted to do, but he'd practically ordered her out of the room, insisting that he was fine and she need sleep.

He wasn't fine, she knew that. He was tired, drugged, hurt. Vulnerable. Waking up, he could barely talk, barely keep conscious. He'd been asleep before she even walked out the door.

That scared Brennan. He was so weak that, if her stalker would attack, he would be unable to defend himself. Booth was always the big, strong FBI guy who did the protecting. But now he was vulnerable. It pissed Brennan off.

She really wanted to kick the ass of the man who had done this to Booth. But she couldn't remember where she'd seen him.

Sighing, Brennan picked up a fibular. She studied it for a moment then discerned that it had been broken once, when the skeleton lying before her was 23 years old. Brennan remembered when she'd broken her fibular. Reminiscing, she recalled the lovely doctor who'd looked after her.

Then it hit her.

"Oh my god!" Brennan whispered softly, as she remembered where she'd seen Gary Hill before. "This is all my fault!"

-

"Don't take this the wrong way, baby," Hodgins said, looking at his fiance over the bowl of noodles before him. "I know that she's your friend but do you think Dr Brennan is being a tiny bit inconsiderate of Booth's ... mental state?

"Huh?" Angela looked up at him and wiped noodle sauce off of his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever we go to the hospital Booth is telling Brennan everything will be okay or giving her a hug or comforting her in some way. Shouldn't she be do that for him? I mean, he's got a hit on his life, has been shot and poisoned and still Brennan turns to him for comfort when he should be the one turning to her."

"I've been thinking the same thing." There was a moment of silence, as the couple ate their noodles.

"I mean, we stick by each other. Usually," Hodgins said, looking down. "Except for that one night. But I did hold your hair as you were sick in the toilet. From being hung-over." He regretted mentioning that night. It was only bringing back bad memories of their argument.

"Oh my god!" Angela whispered suddenly, dropping her fork.

"What is it, baby?" Hodgins asked, looking up from his meal.

"I know where I've seen Gary Hill before!" she exclaimed, standing up. "This is all my fault."

"What? Angela, where have you seen him?" Hodgins asked, reaching out to pull her into her seat again.

"That night when I got drunk, he was at the bar. Oh shit. That must be how he knows everything about Bren." She was filled with self-guilt. She'd put her friends through this? "I must have told him everything. This is all my fault."

-

"Do you know this man?" Brennan flung the picture at the receptionist.

"Yes," she replied, flustered. "He's a nurse."

"How long has he been working here?" Brennan demanded.

"About two months, maybe."

"What's his name? Did he have the proper qualifications to work as a nurse?" This was their guy, she knew it. Everything fit.

"His name is Josh Steel," the receptionist replied. "His qualifications seemed legitimate."

_Oh god_, Temperance thought. This was her stalker. The man who had been terrorizing her. The man who had tried to murder her partner. He was faking to be a nurse to get access to her and Seeley.

"They're not. His real name is Gary Hill. He has never been to college and he deals drugs," Brennan reviled to the aghast receptionist. "Is he working now?"

"Yes."

"Seeley," Brennan whispered as everything sunk in.

She raced up to his room, only to find the bed empty and her partner gone.

-

**Five minutes earlier**

Booth was in pain. He would never admit to Brennan, because he didn't want to worry her more than she already was, but he was in a lot of pain. His throat hurt and his abdomen felt like ... well, someone had shot him. Every time he moved he felt a screaming pain rush through the wounds, that even the morphine couldn't subdue.

But more then just being sore, Booth was also scared. He would even more reluctantly admit this to Brennan than that he was in pain. But he was worried. He didn't know how many of these threats to his life he could survive. But he had to stay strong for Brennan. She was barely coping.

It was really freakin' him out. Someone out there would do anything to see him dead.

There was a small cough from the doorway. Booth looked up to see a nurse, Josh, standing there. He was tall, with bleached white hair and an dark brown, almost black, eyes. There was a wheelchair in front of him.

"Yes?" Booth asked politely, voice still croaky. "Josh, isn't it?"

For a moment it looked like the man was going to say no but then his mouth closed and he smiled. "Yes, how are you feeling, Agent Booth?"

Laughing, he replied, "Fantastic, never felt better."

"Good to hear, even if it was sarcastic." the nurse said, as he started to remove the IV taped to Booth's hand.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"You're being released. I'm taking you down to the car." The nurse smiled serenely, gesturing to the wheelchair.

"The doctor said I wouldn't be out of here in less than two weeks," Booth eyed him suspiciously. "I think I want you to leave this room now."

"Too bad," The nurse pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed in at Booth's chest. Slowly, the FBI agent raised his hands, in the universal don't-shoot-me gesture.

"Woah, Josh, put the gun down. Don't do something you'll regret," he said, hoping to calm down the trigger-happy man. He would kill Booth without a moment of hesitation, as he already proven.

"My name is Gary. Which you know if Tempe, my precious, told you anything."

"Okay, Gary. Put the gun down and we can talk about this."

"No." he pointed it at Booth's head. "Game's changed. You're coming with me. I was going to take Tempe captive and torture her until she admit her undying love for me but I don't want to hurt her."

"Twisted, twisted little man," Booth muttered. Gary cocked the gun.

"Shut up!"

"Sorry. Continue with your plan." Booth gestured with one hand. The cocked gun was lowered slightly.

"As I was saying," Gary continued. "I then thought that I'd kill you, the man she loves, so she'd realize her love for me."

"Bones and I aren't ... you know ... together," Booth protested.

"Really?"

"No, we're just partners."

"You sure?"

"Well, yeah."

"Oh." The lunatic holding the gun looked unsure of himself. Booth had the feeling that, however bright he was, Gary was very insecure and obviously ... unhinged. But he was very smart.

"So you poisoned me for nothing?" Booth asked. Gary's face fell.

"I suppose so." The gun was now down beside his leg. There was a moment of silence while Gary pondered this revelation. Booth slowly inched his hand to the emergency button, until Gary noticed and pointed the gun at him again. "Stop!" Booth did, raising his hands. "This changes nothing," Gary continued. "You are obviously very close, as partners and friends. I've seen how she reacts to you being hurt and how often she's here." He eyed the FBI agent as though daring him to challenge what he said. "So, if you wants you to live she'll admit her love for me then we'll run away together. If not, you'll die."

Booth was stunned. Did he really think that would ever happen? Several smart-ass remarks involving the words 'sad', 'pathetic,' and 'go get laid' popped into Booth's mind but he decided not to say anything as it wasn't a good idea to provoke to the crazy stalker guy with the gun.

Gary placed the gun to Booth's head and pointed towards the wheelchair. "Come on, quickly."

Feeling the cool, smooth metal against his scalp, Booth did what he was ordered, despite the pain in his abdomen. Sliding out from under the blankets, he walked the few steps to the chair and sat, clutching a hand to the bitter white bandages around his stomach. God, that hurt.

"Here's what we're going to do," Gary said. "I'm going to push you out to my car. I'm going to conceal my gun with my jacket, but my finger will still be on the trigger and it will be pointed straight at your head. If you try to alert anyone to what I'm doing I will put a bullet in your brain. Clear?"

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**Review (with advice please - what do you want to see happen/how can I make it better??)**


	8. BONDING WITH THE ENEMY

**I thought I'd update quickly before my writer block finds its way back to me. And cause of all my amazing reviewers. Hugs and kisses :). Ignore the spelling mistakes. My betta (me!) really sucks!**

**(Is anyone else having problems with uploading? This was ready last night but the site wouldn't let me update!!)**

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_Seeley! Seeley!_

_Excuse me, this is a hospital. You'll have to quiet down, miss_

_You don't understand. My partner's missing._

_Who is he?_

_Seeley Booth. Tall, dark hair, gunshot wounds_

_Oh right, a nurse said he was discharged about five minutes and took him to the car_

_Is this what the nurse looked like?_

_Yes_

_Oh shi..._

Booth was missing. Kidnapped, taken captive, held hostage, whatever phrase fit better, by her stalker. It was worse then when he'd been poisoned. She'd been in the room with him and had been able to stop it. But this time he was gone and she had no idea where Gary Hill had taken him. It scared the hell out of her.

And she would do almost anything to save him.

Brennan ran down the hall and out into the staff car park. "Seeley!" She called, looking around wildly for her partner.

There was no sign of him.

Shaking, she pulled out her phone and called her team at the Jeffersonian. The answering machine picked up.

"Squint Squad, Dr Jack Hodgins speaking. If you have found unidentified remains in your basement or similar environment push 1 or say 'unidentified remains' after the beep. If you are FBI and wish for us to take a case push 55 or say 'conspiracy.' If you want to threaten Dr Brennan and/or frame her for murder push 9 or say 'regular occurrence.' If you are Special Agent Seeley Booth and would like to flirt outrageously with the aforementioned Dr Temperance Brennan before dragging her to lunch or on a case push 34 or say 'Bones.' If the option you want isn't listed here push 98 or say 'help'..."

Brennan tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for the answering machine message to end. She remembered the day it'd been recorded. She'd been away on a case with Booth and when they'd returned Hodgins, Angela and Zach had proudly reviled what they'd spent the morning doing, giggling madly. Booth had mentioned that 'at least the tax payers dollars are well spent.'

She'd berated them, saying it wasn't professional and it had to be more user friendly. But, listening to it now, she realized it symbolized them perfectly.

"...Beeeeep." Brennan pushed the buttons she wanted and hoped her team was there to talk to her.

"Guys, if you're there pick up the phone, please." There was a moment of silence before she was put on speaker phone. The Squint Squad was there.

"Sorry, Dr Brennan," came Zach's voice. "We figured that if Gary Hill called it would be better to record the message for you."

"Good thinking, but it's too late." Brennan's voice was hollow.

"Oh god, is Booth...is he...?" came Angela's worried questioning.

"No, I don't think so," Brennan replied. "I got here, after I realized the stalker was a faking to be a nurse at the hospital, and found Seeley's bed empty. The receptionist said he'd been released and Gary had taken him out the to car. I looked but I couldn't find them anywhere."

"Does that mean that Seeley is missing?" asked Camille, her voice rising in worry. "Does Gary have him?"

"I would assume so," Brennan said, in a calm voice. "I want you to get the hospital security footage and see what you can find, Angela. Zach, I would like you to find anything you can about Gary Hill or Josh Steel, the alibi he goes under. I want to know where he lives, sleeps, eats, works, deals, friends, family, everything."

"What are you going to do, Temperance?" asked Angela softly.

"Wait for Gary to contact me."

-

Half an hour later Brennan remember Jared. Pulling out her cell, she dialed Booth's brother, mentally kicking herself for forgetting to call him. He answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Jared? Hey, it's Temperance."

"Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not. Seeley ... he ... well ..."

"Bones, what is it? What happened to him?"

"He's missing."

"What??"

"We're certain Gary has him."

"Of course he does! But how did Gary get to him?"

"Gun point. The hospital footage shows he had a weapon concealed in his jacket."

"Temperance, we have to get my little brother back."

Brennan could hear the fear and desperation in his voice as he begged her to save Booth.

-

His head throbbed. His wrists hurt. His throat ached. His abdomen felt like someone had impaled it with a knife then twisted repeatedly. The morphine had worn off, leaving Seeley Booth in more pain than he'd thought imaginable.

It brought back memories of the POW camp in Iraq.

Gary Hill had forced him to walk from the car, at gun point. He'd been hunched over, his breathing ragged as he tried to distant himself from the pain. As soon as they'd reached this room, where ever the hell it was, Booth had passed out.

He'd woken up to the annoying sound of a dripping tape. Groaning, Booth tried to bring his hands up to rub his temples but found they were immobile. He felt something hard and sinuous tying them together. Rope. His hands were bound to something.

_Think!_ One battered brain cell yelled at him. Taking that advice, Booth quickly assessed what hurt and what didn't. The 'what didn't' list was alarmingly shorter than the 'what did' list. Learning nothing helpful from this, Booth tried to sort out where he was or what situation he was in.

He was lying on his back on a rough surface. Carpet. He swallowed and tried to sit up, but the effort caused to numerous wounds he'd sustained over the past week to scream, making him cry out in agony. Nausea enveloped him, causing him to vomit. He retched again and again until his stomach offered nothing but bile.

Breathing heavily, he tried to quell the pounding migraine.

_Cut the crap, Seeley! _Said the brain cell. _Look around, find out where you are!_ Slowly, Booth opened his eyes and lifted his head off the ground, sealed himself against the constant aches. Gazing blearily around, he realized he was in hotel room. An extremely cheap, somewhat scary looking one. Rolling his head, Booth noted that his hands were tied to the leg of the bed, meaning he couldn't move even if he managed to sit up, which would be a feat in itself. His abdomen protested that he shouldn't even think about trying to move let alone physically try. The brain cell said otherwise. It said to fight. Stupid brain cell.

Booth wished he was still in that hospital bed, IV drip feeding him a constant stream of painkillers. He'd hadn't really noticed how truly amazing the morphine was until he was deprived of it.

Suddenly, the lock on the door started to jiggle. Gary.

What to do? Pretend to still be asleep? Accuse him? Threaten? Sympathize? Cajole? Booth knew Gary Hill was obviously trigger-happy and would kill without a moments hesitation. But he was also insecure, anxious and freaked out. Maybe it would be best to try to form a bond with the man? Try to make a connection, so he wouldn't be as willing to shot him? Be friendly?

The door opened and Gary entered the room, glancing at his captive on the floor before taking another bite of his hamburger.

"Agent Booth, you're awake," he said in a tense voice. "I'd offer you something to eat but it looks like you can't keep anything down."

"Not really hungry," Booth replied. "I think I had too many of those little chocolate puddings. But I'd kill for some morphine, if you're offering."

"Sorry, I haven't got any of that handy," Gary patted his pockets. Settling on the bed, he looked down at Booth, who twisted slightly so he could look back at him.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" asked Booth seriously.

"I don't know," Gary looked nervous. "If it involves, you know, untie you or tell you where we are then ... no."

"No, nothing like that," Booth assured him. What he wanted was quite simply. "Could you turn the tap off in the bathroom? It's driving me mad."

"Oh! Sure. Yeah." Gary hopped up and turned off the facet. Sitting back down, he fiddled with the hem of his jacket. Booth briefly closed his eyes, savoring the blessed silence. The constant dripping was only contributing to the migraine.

"Nervous?" Booth asked. His tone conveyed a hint of sympathy. He wanted Gary to think he understood why he'd done this.

"A little. I've never kidnapped anyone before."

"Probably shouldn't make a habit of it."

"If they catch me will I go to jail?"

"Yep. Defiantly. Stalking, kidnapping a federal agent, attempted murder ... twice. Is it really worth it?"

"Yeah," Gary got a far away look in his eyes.

Awkward moment of silence. Booth tried to lie as still as possible.

"So ... how long have you been working with Tempe?" Gary asked. Booth looked confused.

"What?"

"I asked you how long you've been working with Tempe."

"Yeah, I know that," Booth said. "Two years ...Why are you asking?"

"I was making small talk."

"Small talk?" A look of incredulous appeared in his eyes. "I've been in these types of situations a lot but never has the "bad guy," for lack of a better word, made small talk. Usually torture was involved instead."

"Oh," Gary looked crestfallen. He absently picked up the gun and started the play with it.

"Never mind," Booth said quickly. "We can chat...So, you're a very smart guy..."

"Graduated top of my class in college."

"Confidence issues?" Booth asked. Gary looked away, abashed.

"Yes, a few."

"You'll get over them," Booth assured him falsely. "Bones said you sounded very self-assured on the phone – like you knew you were in charge."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"See? This is good. We're bonding."

"Yes, we are. Except that I'm, you know, starting to feel light-headed and dizzy from pain and bound to a bed in a dingy hotel room."

"Sorry about that." Gary was actually starting to seem sympathetic. "You're really the only way I can get Tempe to admit her love for me."

"Let me know how that goes."

Another moment of silence. Gary spoke up.

"Have you seen the new 'Shrek' movie?" Taken aback, Booth didn't answer straight away.

"Yes, I took my son to see it. He thought it was hilarious."

"You have a son?"

"Yeah, Parker. He's five years old and says the funniest things."

"You're very lucky."

"Thanks. So, which college did you go to...?"

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**Make you a deal. If you guys hit 100 (yes, 100) reviews, I will** **promise not to kill anyone (Booth) off :).**

**Omg I saw 'Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix' yesterday and HOLY SHT it was really good. (No where near as good as the book - which is amazing but still very good.) I almost cried when I found out I'm working on the day 'The Deathly Hallows' comes out (sobs). Usually I finish it by lunch time the day I get it but I won't actually get to even START reading until my lunchbreak (stomps foot angrily).**


	9. WRATHS

**My lack of enthusiasim and imagination is to blame. I hold no responsibiliy for the lateness of this chap :). Actaully, I feel really really really bad, cause I said it would be upload quicker if you reached 100 reviews (which you did /runs around lik a mad person/). Again, my sincere apologies xoxo.**

**Also, I think I might go insane if I glare at it any longer so I uploaded it - despite the fact that I strongly believe it is rather shitty. Any who...**

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_...Then I decided to move back to America._

_Why did you go into drug dealing?_

_I don't know. I needed money. It was an easy way to get it._

_The easy way is not always the best way._

_You sound like you've realized that from experience, Agent Booth._

He looked up at Gary again, scrutinizing him. Things appeared to be going very well. Over the course of the past hour, Booth had managed to get the scum-bag to open up to him, to trust him, to even feel friendly towards him. He'd realized that Gary was very emotionally unsure of himself, and discerned that he could try to introduce a case of reverse Stockholm Syndrome. Instead of the captive bonding with the captor, it was the other way around. Booth figured that, if he could get the guy to trust him, even feel friendly towards him, he would be less likely to be killed. Hell, maybe he could even get Gary to untie him.

It was really the only way. He was injured, hungry, unarmed and bound. There was no other way to escape. As much as it repulsed him, Booth would have to talk to the man, appear to understand him, even sympathize.

So all that was left was to allow Gary Hill, the man who had had him captured, poisoned, shot, to regal Booth with a long, depressing life-story. Lying there, pretending to listen and sympathize, he could barely keep from yelling and raging at the man. He wanted to kill him for the pain he'd put both himself and Temperance Brennan through.

But there was no other way.

"Agent Booth?" Gary's voice jolted him into awareness. "Are you okay?"

His captor had shown concern. Perfect time to try to put his plan into action.

"No, I'm not," Booth replied. "I really need to use the men's room."

"What?"

"You know, the toilet."

"Oh, of course," Gary jumped to his feet, pulling a knife out of his bag. He slid the blade between the ropes, jerkily cutting them away. Booth felt the cool metal touching the inflamed skin of his wrists and flinched, praying he wouldn't get cut.

Moments later, his hands were free. Placing one on the bed and the other on the bedside table, Booth heaved himself to his feet, wincing at the pain that spread like a wild fire through his body. "Thank you." He said, looking Gary directly in the eye, before he sent him stumbling with a hit to the nose. Gary staggered backwards, his face becoming filled with shock. While his captor was disorientated, Booth turned as fast as his failing body would allow, hurrying towards the door, towards freedom. If only he could get to an area with some other people...

Then there was a hand on his shoulder, pulling him backwards onto the bed. With a muffled scream, he felt the gunshot wounds tear, pulling against the stitches, causing him to almost black-out. Unbelievably, he held onto consciousness.

Gary hit him once, twice, in the face. Reaching a hand up to defend himself, Booth managed to grab the offending fist, twisting until the other man screeched in pain. Pulling out of his grasp, Gary stumbled backwards, giving Booth enough time to roll onto his feet, ignoring the searing pain in his abdomen and the blinding migraine his brain had managed to produce. Tiny speckles of blood littered his shirt but Booth ignored this as he wretched the door open, almost tripping over the doorstep.

For a split second he thought he was home-bound, until a large, blunt object connected with the base of his skull and everything went black.

-

Temperance Brennan was pissed. No, she was more than pissed. She was furious. Furious that her partner was out there somewhere, injured, alone, and there was nothing they could do to help him. There was no bones for to examine, so she and Zach weren't much help. There was no bugs to be identified, nor was there are conspiracy cracks to make, so Hodgins was left twiddling his thumbs. There was no need to draw a picture of the victim and no dead body to autopsy, so Angela and Cam were useless to.

How could this be? How could an elite team of scientist – the best in their fields – be utterly ineffective?

Gary Hill hadn't contacted them. It had been almost five hours. The FBI had put a flag on the car he'd recently been seen driving, were watching his house, haunts, friends and family and credit cards. They were attempting to trace Sara Wenton's phone, which was the one Gary was using, but no calls had been made from it.

Apparently, he and Booth had disappeared.

Sighing, Brennan turned from the limbo bones she was examining. She stripped off the latex gloves and her lab coat, then left the platform for her office. After taking less than three steps, she heard the sound of raised voices.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T TELL ME! COULDN'T BE BOTHERED CALLING? TO HARD TO EVEN ALERT A GIRL THAT HER BROTHER WAS SHOT, POISIONED AND KIDNAPPED? DIDN'T YOU THINK I'D LIKE THE BE AWARE OF THE SITUATION? HE'S MY LITTLE BROTHER, AFTER ALL. BUT NO, YOU COULDN'T EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE!" Came the enraged voice of a women. Booth's sister, Brennan reasoned.

"Katie, I didn't want to worry you. I didn't think it would go this far," came Jared's reply.

"Go this far? Go this far? Jared, him getting shot was going far enough."

"I'm sorry. I should have called you."

"Damn right you should have." At that moment, the pair rounded the corner and Brennan got her first glimpse of Katie Booth.

Tall, strikingly beautiful for a 36 year old, she walked with an air of authority, as if she knew she was in charge. The resemblance to Booth was uncanny – her long, brown hair and chocolate eyes a mirror image of her brother's. Her stride and movement's were exactly the same as Booth's, long and powerful, demanding authority.

"Temperance," Jared said when he noticed her, glad for the distraction. "Katie, this is Dr Temperance Brennan, Seeley's partner. Temperance this is my sister."

"Nice to meet you," Katie said, sticking out her hand while also managing to berate her brother with a 'I'm-not-finished-with-you-yet' look. "Now, could someone please tell me where my little brother is?"

* * *

**Thank you to the reviewer who mentioned Stockholm Syndrome! I hadn't even thought of it.**

**Tell me what you think - even if you think it sucks.**

**BTW can someone tell me wtf a muse is???**

**Love ya and leave ya, my wonderful readers!**


	10. MEETING THE RELATIVES

**Crikey! ****Rejoice! ****Do the victory dance! ****T****he Conspiracy Bug Girl lives!!!**

**Yes, I am alive and kicking. Thank you to all the folks who reviewed and PMed me with messages telling me to get my ass in****to gear**** and write a new chapter. Okay, not those words but ... :D.**

**I actually had to go back and read the last couple chapters again cause I completely forgot what had happened. AND I'M WRITING THE DAMN THING. Lucky I did though, cause I totally forgot**** I introduced Katie /cringe/****That could have**** ended badly**** if I'd forgotten**

**This chap****ter**** is more light-hearted and ****serves to recap and explain what is happening.**

**I can't begin to explain why this is so damn late but (hopefully) it shall all be ****more easily excepted after ****the author's note at the end /suspenseful music/.**

* * *

_Taken captive__ by _your _stalker__?? You have got to be kidding me!_

_Katie, calm down._

_No, don't you dare 'Katie' me. I will not calm down-_

_Excuse me, M__is__s Booth?_

_- no idea how much I worry about Seeley. This only proves how dangerous__ his work__-_

_We're doing everything in our power to find him._

_- if he makes to out of this I'm going to find him a normal job-_

Zach Addy and Jack Hodgins were staring down from the platform at the proceedings going on before them.

Zach had a strange urge to hide underneath an autopsy table and did not envy Jared Booth. If looks could kill ... Jared would be happily rotting away by now. If Katie Booth, who looked and acted _exactly_ the same as her brother, was glaring at him in that way now he would have been running for the hills long ago.

Hodgins, on the other hand, was enjoying the spectacle. And the lovely view of Katie Booth. Several times Hodgins had to remind himself that not only he was going out with Angela, but the attractive woman before him with Booth's sister. A fact that could most defiantly get him shot.

"Maybe a baker. Or a florist! I could see Seeley being a florist. Think about it for a moment. No chance to get kidnapped, no death threats from people he arrested and, best of all, he wouldn't be armed. Is anyone else seeing the attractiveness of this?" Silence met the slightly hysterical woman's rant. "What about a ... primary school teacher? Seeley can count to ten _and _say the alphabet. That's all the requirements needed!"

"Katie, breath. Please, relax," pleaded her brother. Brennan was watching the two siblings fight with open-mouthed interest. Katie stopped her rant for a moment, glaring at Jared, who had his hands raised in the universally-accepted gesture for 'hold your horses,' before snapping her fingers.

"A newsagency! He could buy a newsagency!"

"What is going on here? Who is making that horrible shrieking noise?" Zach and Hodgins both jumped, appearing slightly less manly then they would have liked, when Angela's voice suddenly appeared behind them.

"That, babe, would be Katie Booth. Scary, isn't she?" Angela looked down at the sister of her best friend's kidnapped work partner. The artist couldn't help but agree with her boyfriend. Katie seemed to be a truly formidable woman, especially in her current livid state of mind. Angela supposed that they would get along quite nicely. "Anyone want to bet what her job is?" Hodgins continued, seemingly forgetting the present situation. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say door bitch."

"Door bitch?" Zach asked bewilderedly. (A/N. I am currently laughing my head off. There are several connotations to the word 'bewilderedly' that crack me up.) Angela smiled belittlingly down at the forensic anthropologist and resisted the urge to pinch his cheek.

"It's a woman bouncer," she explained.

"Bouncer?"

"The person who lets people into clubs."

"Oh, right," Zach frowned for a moment as he digested this information.

"Sweetie," Angela asked, "have you ever been to a club?"

"Yes," Zach replied quickly, "remember that time the skeleton was found at one? I was there then."

"Dude. You are deprived. When you grow up we'll have to take you to one," Hodgins said with an eye roll. Angela was back to examining Katie, who was currently poking her brother hard on the chest.

"I disagree, Hodgy. I think she's a lawyer," Angela said.

"Hmm," Hodgins murmured, frowning slightly. "You could be right. But I'm still going to go with door bitch."

"Suit yourself," Angela said calmly. "But don't come whinging to me when you're wrong."

"You! You're the one who got him in this mess," continued Katie's tirade. "Can you please tell me where Seeley is, Dr Brennan?"

"No, I can't," came the quiet replied. "I've tried everything I can think of to find him but ..."

The forensic anthropologist's voice trailed off. Silence engulfed the large room, silence so pliable it was suffocating.

Zach, Angela and Hodgins watched in bewildered (A/N: There's my word again!) silence as Katie suddenly reached out and hugged Brennan, tears appearing in her eyes.

"I disagree with both of you," said Zach quietly. "I'm going to bet that that woman has a hard job, something that constantly forces her to wear a mask to cover up her true self. I'm betting she hides herself behind a strong outer shell, appearing formidable and frightening to those she works with."

Angela and Hodgins turned to look at their young charge, wearing identical puzzled looks. Where had the genius' sudden perceptiveness come from?

"I'm betting," Zach finished, "that Katie Booth is a high school teacher."

-

Brennan patted the back of the woman who was hugging her. Both of them were close to tears. Sniffling, Katie pulled away finally and took her brother's hand.

"Sorry about that, Dr Brennan," she said, looking perplexed at her sudden display of emotion. "I don't know what came over me..."

"Don't apologise," Brennan said with a smile. "I understand. I did the same thing to your brother a little while back. I think Booth's 'guy hug' antics are rubbing off on me."

The three of them laughed then remembered the dire circumstances of both meetings/hugs.

"So I guess you want to know what's going on," Jared asked his sister, then flinched as she hit him in the chest.

"Of course, you dolt," she said. Then she grinned sheepishly. "And I promise not to go all hysterical on you again."

-

The small bathroom Seeley Booth was locked in would live up to any expectations one would have after viewing the rest of the hotel room. Like the rest of the dingy place, the bathroom was probably a bio-hazard or environmentally disaster. Mould covered almost every surface and the toilet had a decidedly concerning odour.

Booth had avoided touching as many surfaces as possible, deciding to forfeit the risk of dying of hepatitis. His head was pounding non-stop and he knew the egg where he was struck was largely to blame for this, despite being a rather impressive bump.

Upon waking, Booth had stumbled to his feet and tried everything he could to break out of the blasted bathroom. Gary had evidently locked him in after the failed escape attempt.

Things weren't looking so good.

-

"So you're saying that some creepy stalker wanted to kidnap and torture you until you admitted you loved him," Katie cocked her head in bafflement. "But Seeley got shot trying to protect you."

"Yes."

"Then the sadistic bastard told you he'd kill Seeley to make you suffer for rejecting him."

"Pretty much."

"So this Gary poisoned him..." Katie frowned, barely restrained anger in her voice.

"That's right."

"...then changed his plan _again_ and decided to kidnap my brother to, you think, force you to admit your love."

"Yep. That's it."

"That's it? That's it? You say that like it isn't enough!" said the Booth sibling. Six figures were seated around the conference room table, two of them participating actively in the conversation, one commenting at intervals and the other three itching to ask Katie what she did for a living.

"So what's being done to find him?" she asked, eyes flittering to all the squints, who began to shift uncomfortably. "What?"

"We've ... we're trying and doing everything we can but..." Angela said to break the awkward moment. There was a stunned silence while Katie processed this information.

"You mean to say that you have _no_ leads as to where Seeley is?" The affirmative nods and actions she received almost caused a coronary. "This is ridiculous! You're the best damn forensic scientists in America! Seeley said so himself. And you can't even-" She was cut off by Camille entering the room.

"Good news and bad news folks," she said, before noticing Katie. "Katie. When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago, Cam," she replied before hugging the coroner.

"You two know each other?" Hodgins asked.

"Yes," Cam said distractedly while placing a DVD into a player. "I finally got the security footage for the car park. The FBI decided they wanted to hog it." Pushing fast forward, the gathered company watch as tiny people and cars zoomed in and out at alarming speed. After about three minutes they approached the time when Booth was taken and, sure enough, a car drove past clearly showing Gary Hill as the driver. "The bad news is that no one has seen that car. Hell, it isn't even registered. By rights, it shouldn't exist."

Everyone stared at the TV fed for several minutes. Angela played it over, and everyone searched for something that might help find their missing FBI agent. Katie suddenly jumped up. "Miss Montenegro, can you zoom on this area here?" she asked, pointing to a point near the left bumper bar. Everyone noticed what she was looking at in an instant. There was a large scrape on the metal. Gesturing wildly, she pointed to were red could be seen underneath the blue of the car's paint. "This car use to be red," she said. "It's been repainted. You can tell it's recent too because it's so shiny."

"Maybe so," said Cam, "but the car which was registered to that number plate wasn't red or that model. Inspiration struck Brennan at that point.

"Ange," she said, jumping out of her chair to stand next to Katie, "can you zoom on the numberplate?" The order was complied to and everyone stared at the blown up numbers and letters. After a moment, Katie started to smile, realising what the doctor had seen.

"Touched up numberplate," she said, earning a nod of confirmation from Brennan.

"Huh?"

Zach stepped up to the plate now, understanding. Pointing to a P, he started to explain. "Can you see how the edges of this letter are jagged and unsmooth?" he asked.

Hodgins groaned in realisation. "He changed the letters on the number plate."

"So all we need to do is find out what the original letters are and we can find out who the car belongs to," Angela finished.

* * *

**Ooooo sneaky little dude, isn't he? So, what do ya think? Does Hodgins, Angela or Zach have the correct job? Dun dun dun. Andhow ARE they going to find Booth?**

**Anyway, I said I'd explain why I didn't update. It's because I'd lost interest in writing a story that gets bagged. Most people are completely awesome. Almost all the reviews I get are helpful and friendly. But now and then you get a lovely anonymous review or PM saying something like 'This sucks' or 'you don't know anything about**** how hospitals work or the FBI.' And I had a lovely review from a person named 'grrr' who told me I don't know what I'm talking about and that I should go back to writing kids stories. Thanks, big guy, you really know how to help a girl's confidence. I ****my writing style and vocabulary need improving, and that I don't know much about what I'm writing about and that my people aren't always in character. I know that! Thanks for telling me. This is fanfiction! The whole point of it is to write what you want, how you want. I figured that, if you're using this site, you know and respect that. I'm in grade 10, okay? I don't have a wild vocabulary and I don't know how to write up to everyone's standards. That's one of my main reasons for joining this site, so I can improve. Also, I live in Australia where we ****haven't**** even got half way through season 2, so I don't know how the characters are acting in ****the rest of****the season. If this is AU, then sorry. Lastly, if my knowledge about hospitals or FBI procedure is of then I am truly sorry but I can't really help that. I'm not a nurse or doctor and I don't work at the FBI. My knowledge is from things I've looked up on google and other TV shows.**

**Also, one more piece of advice. If you want to bag my work, fine. But at least sign your name. LOG IN AND ADMIT TO WHO YOU ARE! Don't get pissed when your anonymous review gets deleted and your PM gets replied with a big FUCK YOU. ****And it's really dirty to leave anonymous reviews. Have some guts, please.**

**Finally, don't read it if you don't like it!**

**Thanks to HugeBonesFan who gave me the inspiration to stay up last night and write this. I thought you might have, like, a heart attack. Lol. And a note to Elsa: you're like my mind twin!!! ****I thought I was the only teenager who was addicted to Bones. At school, my friends are like WTF oO when I start going on about last night's episode. And Booth is totally my fav too! SO funny. ****/Cough/ Anyway, when you get an account you have to tell me so I can take a peak at your stories! I was going to reply to your review but I couldn't find a email :(. Thanks!**

**CBG**


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